Adult crocodiles on one of the most feared predators in the animal kingdom. What do crocodiles eat? What kind of diet do these massive reptiles have?
Crocodiles are opportunistic predators, meaning they will eat whatever prey is available and accessible. The diet of a crocodile depends on the species, size, and location of the reptile. Smaller crocodiles tend to eat smaller prey, while larger crocodiles can take down much larger animals.
What Do Crocodile Eat After Hatching
Crocodiles lay their eggs neared water sources so their young will have an easier time reaching the water once they hatch. What do crocodile eat when they first hatch?
The mother crocodile will keep an eye on the nest protecting it from predators until they hatch and then help it’s young into the water.
Once in the water these young crocodiles start by eating insects , small fish, and crustaceans.
What Do Crocodiles Eat At Three Months Old
Crocodiles at 3 months old As they grow they move on to bigger prey items such as frogs and small fish.
What Do Crocodiles Eat At Six Months Old
At six months old crocodiles will eat small birds that get too close, fish and frogs.
What Do Crocodiles Eat At 1 Year+
At 1 year old a crocodile is about a meter or so in length. Now they will start to eat small mammals such as rodents and sometimes reptiles, fish and birds.
What Do Adult Crocodiles Eat?
Adult crocodiles are opportunistic predators, this means they will eat whatever prey is available and accessible. The diet of a crocodile depends on the species, size, and location of the reptile.
What Do Crocodiles Eat In Captivity?
In captivity , crocodiles are fed a diet of fish, chicken, and beef. This diet is similar to what they would eat in the wild.
How A Crocodiles Habitat Affects It Diet
Crocodiles in Africa hunt completely different prey animals as compared to the salt water crocodiles of Australia.
In Africa most crocodiles are found in rivers that feed national parks and local villages.
Where rivers intersect with national parks and game reserves you will find many of the same animals that live on land in the park, such as zebra, wildebeest, and Gazelles. These animals come to the river to drink water and it is here that the crocodiles will hunt them.
Crocodiles that live in marine habitats such as the salt water crocodile of Australia will eat different prey then those that live inland. These crocodiles will eat kangaroo, turtles, snakes, birds, and mammals that come to the water’s edge to drink or bathe.
Man Eating Crocodiles
In both Africa and Australia crocodiles have been known to attack an eat humans.
There are many stories of fishermen or women being pulled into the water never to be seen again.
This is a huge problem in Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania and South Africa where villages are next to large water bodies infested by crocodiles.
Children are especially venerable because they often play near the water’s edge where crocodiles hunt.
Crocodiles will also eat livestock such as cows, goats and sheep that come to the water to drink. This is a huge problem for farmers who often lose many animals to these predators.
Crocodiles are stealthy predators and can remain completely still for long periods of time waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Often time they look like logs on the water and sometimes the only sign that a crocodile is moving in the water would be the ripple it leaves behind.
Types Of Crocodiles And Their Habitat
There are many different types of crocodiles found in habitats all over the world.
The following is a list of some of the more common crocodiles and where they are found:
American Crocodile- This crocodile is found in southern Florida, the Caribbean, and northern South America.
Saltwater Crocodile- The saltwater crocodile is the largest of all crocodiles and is found in India, Southeast Asia, the Philippines, and northern Australia.
Nile Crocodile- The Nile crocodile is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa.